Monthly Archives: April 2023

Piaget Novelties at Watches and Wonders 2023

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Get all the sophistication and style of luxury watchmaking with Piaget’s novelties revealed at Watches and Wonders 2023. With these timeless pieces, you’ll be sure to make a statement wherever you go.

Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

Make time for the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin from Piaget. This iconic watch is taking elegance to a whole new level with its mechanical perpetual calendar, a complication used in some of Piaget’s other watch lines. Stay stylish and keep track of the date with this sleek watch, and make time stand still with the timeless look from Piaget. Get all the sophistication and style of luxury watchmaking with the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin! This model features a 1255P ultra-thin 4mm calibre with a Perpetual Calendar, moon phases and leap year cycle, that keeps track of time until the year 2100. Feel confident and sophisticated with this exquisite piece from Piaget: it’s reliable, slim, and sophisticated all at once! Get your own Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and experience haute horlogerie savoir faire like never before. This stylishly slim and elegant watch offers a perpetual calendar featuring all the relevant information in just 8.65 mm of thickness. With its bold colors, highlife vibe and luxurious design, this watch is perfect for those who want to make a statement while staying up to date with the movements of the universe. 

 

Altiplano Ultimate Concept

Not fully green, not blue…. This new expression of the now iconic Altiplano Ultimate Concept is one-of-a-kind. Playing on subtle cobalt-alloy variations on the main plate and dial, Piaget brings a fresh, unexpected texture and depth to this innovative design.

Still ultra-thin and a landmark in its category without ever making compromises on the comfort and the watchmaking standards like the water resistance in an open-work watch.

And just like the Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar in steel or pink gold, green is this season Piaget’s new shade of bold.

Altiplano Ultimate Automatic

The heir of Piaget’s watchmaking legacy and creativity is now bracing for a new look. Nestled between the bustling daily life and the black tie attire, this navy blue self-winding watch subtly contrasts its blue bridges and the pink gold case and screws. A graphic way to shed new electric light on the bold fusion of the case and the 910P ultra-thin movement that earned raging reviews at the 2021 GPHG Awards.

High Jewellery Watches

A watchmaker who became a jeweller. A posture that is unique in the industry which defined the distinctive and recognizable Piaget signature. Palace Decor, ornamental stones, diamonds and sapphires. This year more than ever, the Maison returns to its roots, nodding to its most exuberant and evocative designs from the 1960-70s.

Here, mastery and artistry meet creativity and audacity with new timepieces that pulse with the Piaget spirit: bold, distinctive, and original.

Limelight Gala – High Jewellery

A one-of-a-kind high jewellery watch that combines Piaget’s creative heritage and haute couture inspiration in one rare specimen.

Twirling under the eyes in a joyful mix of brilliant and marquise-cut gemstones, a splash of rubies, spessartites, and diamonds carefully sourced to create a beautiful harmony sheds new light on another one of Piaget’s iconic signatures: the hand-engraved Palace Decor dial.

An innovative design that breaks the tradition with style.

Limelight Gala – Malachite

From the delicately woven Milanese mesh bracelet to the hypnotic malachite dial, this Limelight Gala brilliantly reflects the spirit of audacity, ingenuity and innovation that turned Piaget’s jewelled watches from the late ’60s and 70s into thrilling contemporary objects of desire for the jet set.

Today, within the walls of the in-house ateliers, master artisans continue to harness rare skills preserved and perfected from generation to generation. Still showcasing its iconic aesthetic, with the asymmetrical lugs and cambered case, this 32mm automatic watch combines boldness with attitude.

High Jewellery Aura Watch

From 1957, when Piaget decided to work only with precious materials and devote equal passion and attention to High Watchmaking and High Jewellery, the Maison has excelled in creating elegant yet dramatic High Jewellery watches. Piaget has always anticipated the shifts in fashion and in the 60s, dthe Maison focused on the cocktail or dress watch to coordinate with jewellery for evening wear.

Back in 1989 Piaget launched the ultimate High Jewellery watch – Aura. A diamond studded bracelet fully integrated with a gem-smothered case and bracelet. The invisible setting of the diamonds enabled ripples of light to move across the dial and around the wrist thus giving the watch its name.

Now get ready to make time stand still with the all new High Jewellery Aura Watch from Piaget! Featuring an ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical movement encased in a gem-smothered bracelet, this High Jewellery watch is the perfect combination of sophistication and timelessness. This beautiful, diamond-encrusted watch features an integrated gem-smothered case and bracelet, enabling light to ripple across the dial and adorn your wrist. It also houses an ultra-thin hand-wound movement and will keep you on time with its perpetual calendar feature. With diamonds set in near-invisible settings for added luminosity, the High Jewellery watch is designed to last forever. 

The contemporary classic in a modern context embodies Piaget’s twin passions, the Maison’s matchless gem-setting skill and their ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical movements. The Aura today is a show case of craftsmanship that is unsurpassable. The custom-cut baguette diamonds flow uninterrupted into shaded icy-light to midnight blue meticulously calibrated sapphires and at the heart of which is diamond-set dial in a radiant sunburst pattern.

High Jewellery Cuff Watches

It’s thrice the charm for Piaget with their three cuff watches relaunched, which in the 60s and 70s were a hallmark of the Maison’s audacity. The then highly innovative hyper-naturalism of free form design and the oval dial seemingly covered by the gold that grew over the ornamental dials from the bracelets were a total embodiment of the naturalistic theme. 

The cuffs are very individualistic and each has distinct hand-graved patterns and textures highlighting Piaget’s expertise in the art of engraving and dedication to Métiers d’Or. The very divergent engraving speaks about the artistic skills of each artisan.

Piaget Swinging Sautoir – Gold

The mystical and mesmerizing gold has always been a preoccupation for Piaget, as the Maison reveres and celebrates the noble art of the goldsmith.

Now the masterworks unveiled at Watches and Wonders, inspired by Piaget icons and signatures, pay homage to these gold-working traditions and superb hand skills, the Métiers d’Or, most notably of chain-making and engraving. Inspired by an original 1969 model in Piaget’s daringly avant-garde 21st Century collection, this pendant watch features a horizontal oval case rimmed in diamonds within a gold ropework surround, the dial decorated with Palace Decor, suspended on an intricate, hand-made chain, draped through diamond circular links.

For the chain, the gold thread, custom-milled to the exact thickness, is meticulously worked by hand, twisted and intertwined into delicate links.

The tassels of unequal lengths, a Piaget signature from the 1960s and 70s, are composed of the same gold chain, accented with diamonds, to echo and balance the case. Supremely fluid and flexible, the sensual, seductively playful tactility of the tassels is made possible by unrivalled expertise.

Piaget Swinging Sautoir – Emerald

This sautoir watch, contemporizing one of Piaget’s most distinctive signatures from the 1960s and 70s, is centred on a spectacular and rare 25.38-carat oval cabochon Zambian emerald.

The draped chain is entirely hand-made from immaculately-formed twisted gold circular links, connected by diamonds and interspersed with emeralds; the chain alone took 130 hours of meticulous work. The oval case, another Piaget signature, vertically positioned to echo the cabochon emerald, is framed in a twisted gold wire and rimmed in diamonds and emeralds.

The malachite dial pays homage to Piaget’s 1960s ground-breaking creations and showcases the Maison’s incredible skills. The sautoir is finished with a three-strand fringe, a silky cascade of diamonds tipped with cabochon emeralds.

Possession

The Possession collection revolves around a spinning movement and a shape. Unique and playful, Possession is an invitation to turn life on. More than a collection, Possession is an invitation to express our personalities freely.

Both simple and sophisticated, it invites creativity and stands as a rallying sign for a community eager to experience, explore and have fun while being given a chance to tell its own story with style.

 

Discover the novelties at https://www.piaget.com/ww-en/watches

The spirit of HUBLOT; the embodiment of Sang Bleu.

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For the 7th year and third collaboration with Hublot, Maxime Plescia-Buchi is channelling the Spirit of Big Bang through the Sang Bleu prism. Just as his tattoos create new identity, revealing new shapes and new perspectives, the celebrated typographer, tattooist, artist and founder of Sang Bleu injects a new spirit into the Spirit of Big Bang collection. The Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu stays true to the series’ characteristics while remaining highly distinctive. With a faceted, structured 42 mm diameter, this watch has an enhanced three-dimensional and ergonomically-enhanced design. There are three limited editions to adorn your wrist – 200 units in titanium, 200 in All Black ceramic and 100 in King Gold. In addition, two models are set with 180 diamonds in titanium and King Gold.

Launched in 2014, the Spirit of Big Bang retained all of the Big Bang’s original features in a barrel-shaped case. A reinterpretation of Hublot’s DNA, simultaneously identical yet so different. For this third collaboration, Maxime has infused it with a new spirit without changing its soul, introducing the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu. He achieves this same transformation, injecting the concepts of the Big Bang Sang Bleu I & II, by redefining the lines of the Spirit of Big Bang. Without losing what makes our barrel watch so distinctive, he gives it a new identity, a spatial redesign and a more architectural dimension, revealed by the Sang Bleu geometry and symmetry. A fusion that exceeds perfection. The symbol of a collaboration that highlights the best features and unique potential of each design. In our watches and in our collaborations, one philosophy underscores the vision of everything we do: to adapt to the container while always focusing on the quality of the content. – RICARDO GUADALUPE, HUBLOT CEO

Identical or different? Both… But always unique!

Ensuring consistency while remaining innovative. Keeping the spirit while creating a unique, exclusive and distinctive object. This is the subtlety of the art behind the Hublot and Maxime Plescia-Buchi collaboration. The talented tattoo artist has reimagined the strokes of the Spirit of Big Bang with stretched, elongated bevelled features and measured, perfectly proportioned angles that fit together to create a timepiece where the Sang Bleu signature is instantly recognisable. Like each of his tattoos, the line adapts to the case, to its distinctive characteristics, reliefs, curves, and texture, while retaining what is essential: its spirit. This is the same philosophy that inspired the Spirit of Big Bang.

Hublot x Sang Bleu: Seven years of artistic and creative collaboration

First introduced in the 2016 Hublot – Sang Bleu series, 2023 saw the third edition unveiled at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. The tattoo artist has stamped his indelible, distinctive, and assertive line on a new collection. After the Big Bang, his signature now adorns the Spirit of Big Bang. As usual, he traces his three-dimensional geometry in perfect symmetry with a mysteriously magnetic architecture, playing with relief and depth through polished, satin finished, engraved, chiselled, bevelled and faceted materials. Hexagons, diamonds and triangles appear and overlap, redefining shapes and volumes line by line.

My collaboration with Hublot is like constructing a house, an architectural project in itself. The Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu is the third wall of this shared structure. It signifies a landmark, as the house we are building now stands firmly and coherently in its own right. After having made my mark on the Big Bang, my creative process has taken on a new form. This is the new collection, and the barrel shape of the Spirit of Big Bang. I have been able to question and review each component, from the case to the crystal, the bracelet to the clasp, considering each shape and proportion through a holistic reflection. The aim is to incorporate the DNA of the Big Bang Sang Bleu II into the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu. The result is a similar geometric aesthetic with a new interpretation of shapes and volumes. This creation is guided by perfectly proportioned shapes that interact and overlap to create a unique, distinctive design while enhancing the ergonomics for the wearer. – MAXIME PLESCIA-BUCHI, SANG BLEU FOUNDER, HUBLOT AMBASSADOR

The result: The Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu

A 42 mm-diameter case, crafted in a choice of three materials: Titanium (200 units), All Black ceramic (200 units) or King Gold (100 units), as well as two models set with 180 diamonds weighing approximately 2.4 carats, in titanium and King Gold. Geometric tattoos alternate and overlap from the case to the bezel. A sapphire dial displays the HUB4700 automatic skeleton chronograph movement through disc hands bearing the characteristic geometry of timepieces made in collaboration with Sang Bleu. A watch that, even with its ultra-generous proportions and prominent shape, offers a perfect ergonomic fit across all wrist sizes, for both men and women, with or without a bezel. The geometry of the Big Bang Sang Bleu II has been retained while also optimising the dynamic nature of the barrel shape. In terms of design, to ensure that the watch perfectly fits the curves of the wrist and is flush with the body, the back of the case and the sapphire crystal have been arched at several points. In terms of dial legibility, the structure of the hands has been enhanced and the hour and minute markers have been refined. By transposing his line onto a different volume, the barrel shape of the Spirit of Big Bang, Maxime has given new perspective to each component, shape and proportion. It is these details that give the Spirit of Big Bang a new dimension, just as Hublot gave a new spirit to the Big Bang codes by unveiling the Spirit of Big Bang in its barrel shape back in 2014.

Hublot – Sang Bleu – Trilogy

Hublot & Maxime Plescia-Buchi have art in their blood and are “inking” the art of tattooing into watchmaking. In 2016, the first Big Bang Sang Bleu saw the three-dimensional geometry of the famous tattoo artist imprinted on its design, revealing a perfectly proportioned structure inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. This quest for perfection and the use of symbols is the hallmark of all of Sang Bleu’s creative work. In 2019, with the Sang Bleu II, the tattoo artist x watchmaker collaboration was expressed as a “full body” tattoo across the entire Big Bang model, including the case, the hexagonal bezel, the sapphire crystal, the hands, and the bracelet. A three-dimensional style that has been entirely revamped in 2023 to embody a new “tattooed” collection – the Spirit of Big Bang. In perfect fusion with the way Hublot launched the Spirit of Big Bang in 2014, incorporating Hublot’s DNA and the distinctive codes of the Big Bang (its 6 H-shaped titanium screws running through the watch bezel, sandwich construction with endless combinations of materials and colours, signature lugs on each side of the case, and a screwed crown over moulded with rubber), Maxime has revisited each component of the Spirit of Big Bang.

 

 

 

Day 5 at Watches and Wonders

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Day 5 at WatchesandWonders was an absolute thrill for watch enthusiasts worldwide. As one of the most anticipated events in the watch industry, WatchesandWonders always impresses, and day 5 was no exception. The event has something for everyone, from luxury timepieces to innovative designs that push the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Another exciting aspect of day 5 was seeing some of the most intricate and complex watches up close.

ALPINA-Alpiner Extreme Automatic Blue

The new Alpiner Extreme Automatic is a turning point for Alpina, whose future direction will be to concentrate on its mechanical DNA and its outdoor vocation. The new timepiece is presented in a 41×42.5 mm case, now featuring an integrated steel bracelet. With a strong, highly operational look, it goes straight to the point: three hands and the date which stand out, contrasting greatly against a new navy-blue dial with a touch of the same blue on the crown grip.

Alpina has kept the Alpiner Extreme line’s iconic signature on the dial: a triangular motif that draws inspiration from Maison’s logo. The motif also features on the counterweight of the seconds hand, recalling Alpina’s beloved snow-capped mountain peaks.

CHARRIOL – SURF

The St-Tropez™ Surf channels the pulsing energy of a morning surf break. Constructed as a Diver watch, manufactured in stainless steel with DLC coating, boasting a unidirectional bezel (120 clicks), water resistant to 10 ATM (100m) for high-impact water sports such as surfing, rugged ETA 2892 Swiss Automatic Calibre powers it, featuring coloured dials with luminescent elements, and a sweeping second hand presented as a prune-coloured lightning bolt – a personal effect borrowed from CEO Coralie Charriol’s adventure vehicle of choice, her beloved surfboard. The unisex 36mm Surf watch is offered on steel (two-tone or yellow gold PVD), signature stainless steel cable, or coloured rubber reversible straps – each featuring a deployant butterfly buckle.

GRÖNEFELD – 1941 Grönograaf Tantalum

The Horological Brothers had never made a chronograph… until 2022. The GPHG award-winning 1941 Grönograaf is a classical chronograph, but it incorporates several ingenious details consistent with the Grönefeld ethos. Discover – among other things – the ‘soft reset’ mechanism.

This 1941 Grönograaf is the distillation of three generations of watchmaking know-how, of the professional journeys of both Horological Brothers and the manifestation of their extraordinary passion for horology.

The ‘Premiere Edition’ of the 1941 Grönograaf will be encased in the rare metal tantalum and limited to just 25 pieces. We regret to let you know that all 25 pieces have been sold. After that, Grönefeld has released 188 pieces in stainless steel.

JAEGER – LECOULTRE-REVERSO TRIBUTE CHRONOGRAPH

Born in 1931, the Reverso was one of the first sports wristwatches ever developed, specifically its ingenious swivelling case designed to protect it when worn on the polo field – although its appeal immediately spread far beyond the sporting arena. With the chronograph serving as a classic sporting complication, the new Reverso Tribute Chronograph gives homage to the Reverso’s beginnings. The new Calibre 860 combines a chronograph with a double-sided time display, continuing the inventive spirit that has propelled Jaeger-LeCoultre for 190 years and taking inspiration from the first Reverso Chronograph of 1996.

MONTBLANC – 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen The 8000 Limited Edition – 290 (Boutique Exclusive)

The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen The 290-piece 8000 Limited Edition pays respect to the greatest mountains on Earth and the alpinists who have the courage to climb them.  It is driven by the Manufacture automatic chronograph world time movement, Calibre MB 29.27, from Montblanc and is housed in a 44mm titanium case that is entirely oxygen-free. This chronograph features two 3D rotating registers with a date at three o’clock, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at twelve and six o’clock, respectively. The 8000m summits are marked by 12 orange dots on both hemispheres, serving as day/night indicators. In addition, it has a 3D-coloured laser engraving on the case back and a fluted bi-directional black ceramic bezel with compass points.

PANERAI – Radiomir Calendario Annuale Platinumtech™ Experience – PAM01432

Panerai’s new complication, the Annual Calendar, appeals to connoisseurs who seek aesthetics and authenticity. Developed specifically for the Radiomir collection, this is Panerai’s first-ever annual calendar complication. Displayed on an external moving disc, indicated by a fixed arrow at 3 o’clock, every month’s change is instantaneous thanks to a cam in the movement. With clear and immediate readability in mind, Panerai puts together intricate time-telling elements – the dial clearly displays all information needed.

SPEAKE MARIN – Ripples Blue Jeans

With Ripples Blue Jeans, only the sky is the limit. This new model is an invitation to escape.

The three-dimensional horizontal waves that span the dial are now presented in a tone of soothing blue. With the fresh and motivating RIPPLES Blue Jeans, RIPPLES continues its journey ahead. They are light and airy, prepared to soar upwards and faster.

TRILOBE – Une Folle Journée Diamant, Platinum

One year after the launch of its collection Une Folle Journée, with a brilliant and avant-garde piece, Trilobe debuts on the high jewellery journey. The three rotating rings were created with the help of artisans from rue de la Paix and were inspired by the roof of the Paris Opera House. They are set with exceptional diamonds hidden from view in a secret setting.